For Whom the Freezer Alarm Tolls

Imagine you’re lucky enough to own one of those big, modern Thermador refrigerators, maybe the T36IB800SP, with its 19.4 cubic feet of storage — including a huge roll-out freezer below the fridge section. It’s not computerized to the degree that modern cars or televisions are, but it has a digital panel that tells you, for instance, when you need a new filter. And if you leave either of the doors open for more than a few minutes, an unpleasant digital alarm starts to beep.

Now imagine it’s 8 one night. Your young son wants dessert before going to bed. You open the freezer and hand him a carton of chocolate ice cream.1 (As everyone knows, ice cream tastes better straight from the box.) When you try to close the door, it won’t shut all the way. When you try to force it shut, it pops back out after about 15 seconds.